1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ejector mechanism of a connector, and especially to an ejector mechanism for use in a PCMCIA connector which can prevent malfunction of a pivot portion of a lever thereof.
2. The Prior Art
PCMCIA card connectors have become popular in portable computers. The card connectors are commonly configured with an ejector mechanism having a lever for driving an ejecting plate to disconnect and eject IC cards therefrom.
A conventional ejector mechanism for a card connector 8, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, comprises a lever 82 defining a fulcrum opening 820 around which a rim 822 extends for pivotably engaging with a fulcrum protrusion 84 extending from a header 80. The lever 82 has a driving end 823 retained in a hole 85 of a closure 86 formed at an end of a push bar 81 which is slidably retained in an outer channel member 88 of the card connector 8. An ejection plate 83 is slidably mounted on the connector 8 and includes two ejection tabs 832 for ejecting a card (not shown) engaged with the header 80. Specifically, the ejection plate 83 has an L-shaped tab 831 extending downward therefrom for engaging with a reception portion 821 of the lever 82 and driven thereby when the lever 82 is driven by the push bar 81. The rim 822 has a height substantially equaling the height of the fulcrum protrusion 84. When the card is inserted into the header 80, a load exists due to the engagement therebetween. Therefore, when the lever 82 is driven by the push bar 81 to eject the card, the rim 822 of the lever 82 is apt to disengage from the fulcrum protrusion 84 resulting in a malfunction.
Therefore, it is requisite to provide a new ejector mechanism having an improved structure to retain the pivotable engagement between the lever and the fulcrum protrusion.